De quervain's treatment device

Abstract

A device for treating de Quervain's tenosynovitis may include a handle, an introducer shaft extending from the handle, and a blade that includes a blade shaft extending along a top surface of the introducer shaft and onto the handle and a blade cutting edge that faces toward the handle. The device may further include a blade slider attached to a proximal portion of the blade shaft, a blade pivot attached to at least one of the proximal portion of the blade shaft or the blade slider, an upper deck along which the blade slider slides in an upper horizontal orientation, and a lower deck along which the blade slider slides in a lower horizontal orientation. The blade pivot is configured to allow the blade slider to rotate in a plane that is perpendicular to a plane of the introducer shaft.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A device for treating de Quervain's tenosynovitis, the device comprising:
 a handle;   an introducer shaft extending from the handle;   a blade, comprising:
 a blade shaft extending along a top surface of the introducer shaft and onto the handle; and 
 a blade cutting edge that faces towards the handle; 
   a blade slider attached to a proximal portion of the blade shaft; and   a blade pivot attached to at least one of the proximal portion of the blade shaft or the blade slider, wherein the blade pivot is configured to allow the blade slider to rotate in a plane that is perpendicular to a plane of the introducer shaft.   
     
     
         3 . The device of claim  1 , further comprising a neurovascular guard disposed over the blade, wherein the neurovascular guard is configured to slide along the handle and the introducer shaft. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the neurovascular guard is made of a material that allows passage of ultrasound waves. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of polyetherimide (PEI), PEEK, PPS, and other polymers. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein when the neurovascular guard is placed in an advanced position, a distal tip of the neurovascular guard is located at or near a distal tip of the introducer shaft, and wherein the blade cutting edge is located between the introducer shaft and the neurovascular guard. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 an upper deck along which the blade slider slides in an upper horizontal orientation; and   a lower deck along which the blade slider slides in a lower horizontal orientation.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 an upper guideway adjacent the upper deck; and   a lower guideway adjacent the lower deck,   wherein the blade pivot rests in and slides along the upper guideway when the blade slider is on the upper deck and the lower guideway when the blade slider is on the lower deck.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the upper deck extends along only a portion of the handle, forming an opening through which the blade pivot can move between the upper guideway and the lower guideway. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the blade slider is configured to move between three orientations via the blade pivot, the three orientations comprising:
 a blade center horizontal orientation, in which the blade pivot rests in the upper guideway and the blade slider rests on the upper deck;   a blade center vertical orientation, in which the blade pivot rests in the upper guideway and the blade slider is rotated to a more vertical position off of the upper deck; and   a blade center offset orientation, in which the blade pivot rests in the lower guideway and the blade slider rests on the lower deck.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the blade cutting edge in the blade center offset orientation extends laterally beyond an edge of the introducer shaft. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the blade pivot is configured to allow the blade cutting edge to cut a first tissue in approximately a horizontal plane relative to a plane of the introducer shaft and to cut a second tissue in approximately a vertical plane relative to the plane of the introducer shaft.